London: Arsenal's improbable late run at the Premier League title gained further momentum with a 1-0 win over strugglers Burnley on Saturday, an eighth straight success that moved them four points behind leaders Chelsea.

Arsene Wenger's side did not have to be at their best to overcome an organised Burnley, who stay second from bottom in the table, but scored early through Aaron Ramsey and then eased through largely unthreatened.

While Chelsea, who play Queens Park Rangers on Sunday, have two games in hand, Wenger's side host the leaders in two weeks.

At the other end of the table, Aston Villa took another step towards safety after Christian Benteke's goal secured a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur as manager Tim Sherwood enjoyed a winning return to his former club.

Villa, who moved up to 15th on 32 points, are six clear of the relegation zone. They are a place and three points above Sunderland, whose own battle to avoid the drop suffered in a stinging 4-1 home defeat by Palace. (Reuters)